'Working in films, there are hundreds of odd moments': Helen McCrory on her career and winning awards

Helen McCrory has played Cherie Blair twice, in The Queen and The Special Relationship, Narcissa Malfoy in three Harry Potter films, and Mama Jeanne in Martin Scorsese’s Hugo.

Most recently, McCrory, 44, played MP Clair Dowar in Skyfall, which has eight Bafta nominations.

She has been married to Homeland star Damian Lewis for five years.

'Working in films, there are hundreds of odd moments... I've been lowered by frogmen into the cold lakes of Stoke-on-Trent while wearing a bikini,' said Helen McCrory

‘You weren’t allowed to take your wand home on Harry Potter. They were very strict about that. You couldn’t even take the script. Imagine phoning them up if you’d been burgled and having to say, “Oh, and by the way, you know that little Quidditch ball that’s on eBay? I think it might be from our house.” You just can’t do it.

Share this article

‘The fight scenes in the film were surreal. You’d turn around and say “Oh, that was a great fight, absolutely fantastic” to a 14-year-old, and you’re holding a wand at their head.

‘I had a great start in television; the first thing I did was an episode of Performance called The Entertainer with Michael Gambon playing Archie Rice.

'I use my awards as doorstops. Others are in the office or in little cubbyholes in our library - they go between the books, because they actually look like any arty pieces,' said Helen

'Unfortunately in my first film
(Interview with the Vampire) I was essentially a mattress for Tom Cruise
to lie on. I saw Tom recently and reminded him; all those photographs
you see of Tom Cruise lying on a woman, I am that woman!

'I think like most couples I'm prouder of my husband's awards,' said Helen

‘Working in films, there are hundreds of odd moments.

'I’ve been in a dream sequence when I’ve been floating in stately rooms in wedding dresses, and I’ve been lowered by frogmen into the cold lakes of Stoke-on-Trent while wearing a bikini.

‘I use my awards as doorstops. Others are in the office or in little cubbyholes in our library – they go between the books, because they actually look like arty pieces.

'Damian and I don’t compete over whose go where – I think like most couples I’m prouder of my husband’s awards and he’s prouder of mine.

'I watch Homeland, of course, but we don’t talk about what’s going to happen.

'When Damian accepted it we were both careful that it was treated responsibly, because it’s such an inflammatory issue.

'We’ve got two children, about six projects and everything in between, so we don’t talk about work very much.’

BEST FILM Rust And Bone – it is extraordinary. Otherwise, Skyfall. Sam Mendes knocked it out of the park.